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Yankees acquire OF Vernon Wells

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Press Release |

The New York Yankees today announced they acquired three-time All-Star and three-time Gold Glove Award-winning outfielder Vernon Wells along with cash considerations from the Los Angeles Angels in exchange for minor league outfielder Exircado Cayones and minor league left-handed pitcher Kramer Sneed.

Wells, 34, has a .273 (1,695-for-6,218) career batting average with 885 runs, 363 doubles, 34 triples, 259 home runs and 908 RBI in 1,601 games over 14 Major League seasons (1999-2012). He is a .292 (460-for-1,576) career batter with 62 homers against left-handed pitching and a .266 (1,235-for-4,642) batter with 197 home runs when facing right-handed pitching. He was named to the American League All-Star team in 2003, '06 and '10, and earned a Silver Slugger Award in 2003.

In 2012, Wells batted .230 (56-for-243) with 11 home runs and 29 RBI in 77 games for the Angels, making just one error in 589.0 innings in the outfield. He injured his right thumb on May 20 at San Diego and was placed on the disabled list from May 21 to July 27, missing 58 team games.

Among players with at least 1,500 career games in the outfield, Wells - who won Gold Glove Awards each year from 2004-06 - is the all-time Major League leader in fielding percentage with a .993 career mark (25 errors in 3,639 total chances). He has made 1,369 career appearances in center field, 180 in left field and 28 in right field, with all of his left field appearances coming over the last two seasons (2011-12) with the Angels.

Originally drafted by the Toronto Blue Jays in the first round (fifth selection overall) of the 1997 First-Year Player Draft, Wells made his Major League debut for the Blue Jays on August 30, 1999, at age 20. He played 12 seasons for Toronto before being traded to Los Angeles on January 21, 2011, in exchange for Mike Napoli and now-teammate Juan Rivera.

Born in Louisiana but a native of Texas, Wells is active in the community with his "Perfect 10" foundation aiding many charities. In 2010, he received the Branch Rickey Award honoring humanitarians in Major League Baseball.